Ears
by Coffeeskater
Summary: Yang wants nothing more than to touch Blake's ears. When Blake denies her Yang figures out that Blake is scared and decides to prove that she loves Blake, she learns more about her girlfriend than she expected.


Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap

"Yang could you please stop fidgeting so much?" Blake sighed for what felt like the millionth time that evening.

"Wha- oh right sorry babe." Resettling at her desk Yang sighed and forced herself to focus on the homework in front of her. Her focus lasted a grand five minutes before she cracked. Her thoughts drifted from topic to topic unable to settle before her wandering eyes and mind focused on Blake. She was on her bunk reading her book, her unbound ears twitching and moving restlessly. '_Must be an intense part of her book'_ Yang mused. Focusing on said ears made Yang want to touch them.

Ever since Blake had inadvertently revealed her Faunus heritage Yang had wondered what other characteristics Blake shared with cats. She knew she loved her tuna and was sometimes prone to the occasional cat nap while studying in the library. Sometimes when her thought wandered over to less… clean thoughts she wondered if her tongue was rough and what it'd feel like on her bare skin. She idly wondered if her ears were soft, would it feel good if she were to scratch them. Firmly deciding to at least get some answers Yang abandoned her work and dropped unceremoniously on the end of Blake's bed.

Gold eyes lifted from the ink stained pages in front of her to regard Yang who was staring at her rather intently. Violet eyes bored into gold and for a moment neither spoke, then softer than Blake had ever heard the other woman speak came the question she had definitely not been expecting.

"Can I touch them?"

"What?"

"Your ears, can I touch them?"

Blake blinked, taken aback. She had expected this question for a while, Ruby had caved much faster than her sister and had asked barely three days after the whole encounter with Torchwick. Begging her with wide puppy dog eyes and a pouty lip. Lowering her eyes back to her book Blake gave Yang the same answered she had Ruby.

"No."

"aww c'mon Blakey I bet you would just love to get a good scratched behind the ears."

"No."

"Oh c'mon kitten, I bet they're super soft and velvety."

"No."

"Blakey, don't be so Im-paw-sible" Yang smirked at her own cat pun and scooted forward on the bed, planting her chin on Blake's knees and pouted at her. "Please babe? Pretty pretty please with Tuna on top."

"Yang! I said no!" Blake snapped glaring at the blonde for a moment before returning her gaze to her book. Her snappy reply gave Yang pause. Staring intently at her girlfriend's face she went quiet and focused on the minute details. Her ears were twitching slightly betraying their want to flatten. Her forehead had gained a slight crease as Blake fought to keep a glare or a frown off her face, trying hard to keep her face neutral. Her grip on her book was so tight her knuckles were slowly turning white. It was obvious to Yang she had crossed a line. But Yang hadn't realized there even was a line or that she probably flew past it at a thousand miles per hour.

Lifting her chin from her knees Yang tugged gently on Blake's ankles, straightening her legs out with a slight protest and crawling up the bed, settling comfortably against the onyx haired huntress's side and wrapping an arm softly around her waist. She pressed a soft chaste kiss to porcelain skin.

"I'm sorry for pushing you." She whispered softly into warm skin, nuzzling into a slowly relaxing Blake.

Sighing She put down her book after carefully marking her page and opened her arms. Yang wasted no time in resettling herself in her girlfriend's arms and pressing several kisses to her cheeks. "I didn't mean to snap at you like that."

"If I can get a kiss I'll let this one slide" Yang teased. Rolling her eyes, she obliged, pressing a soft apologetic kiss to her mouth. Blake could feel Yang smiling into their kiss.

"Better?" A grin and a quick kiss to her cheek and a contented nod Blake felt rather than saw. Flicking the light off and settling against the mattress and the perpetual furnace that was Yang, Blake yawned and closed her eyes.

"Goodnight Kitten." Yang murmured into silky soft hair.

While sleep was quick to come to Blake, the same could not be said about Yang. She was up nearly the whole night. Her thoughts centered on Blake's reluctance to let her touch her ears. Many thoughts filtered through her brain, from the eccentric '_maybe they're not real? No that's stupid. Don't be an idiot Yang'_ to half formed theories. It was only while she was off staring into space, her eyes drifting, that she settled her gaze on Blake's face. Her face relaxed and worry free like it never seemed to be in the day. A soft smile crossed her lips and she brushed a few errant strands of hair from her face…. Wait…. What was that? Moving the hair away revealed a scar. Yang was stunned, shifting carefully so as to not wake the shorter girl Yang took a closer look. The scar itself was small and reached from the tip of her eye brow to her hair line.

"Oh my god Blake, whatever it was it nearly took your eye…" It wasn't long before a queasiness invaded Yang stomach as a thought that made her want to retch stole its way into her brain. '_What if she got this because she's a Faunus?'_ The more she thought about it the more sense it made, and the worse Yang felt. Images of a young Blake being tormented invaded her brain. A young Blake having to dodge stones thrown at her, Blake struggling to get away from a group of humans tugging on her ears and laughing, Blake all alone and crying and cupping her hands over her ears as someone threatened to cut them off. That definitely explained Blake's refusal to let her touch them, no one had ever touched her ears in kindness, only in torment.

Resolving to prove to Blake she could be gentle, and that she truly cared for her Yang settled down and spent the rest of the night hatching a plan to make Blake feel more loved and cared for than anyone else in the kingdoms.

**~X~**

The next morning came, the sun shining through the curtains of team rwby's dorm. Blake woke slowly her ears twitching and she reached for Yang. Her eyes shot open when her hand was met with the empty space where Yang had slept. The world was full or rare occurrences and miracles, like the planet's aligning and Weiss smiling genuinely, or Blake getting through a chapter of her book without a single interruption. Yang waking up before Blake topped every single one of these occurrences combined. Yang Valued sleep more than anything. Her semblance let her take hits that no normal human or Faunus could tolerate. But as a price, her semblance wore her out almost to the point of exhaustion.

After the fight with Torchwick in the mech suit wherein Yang had taken a severe beating and in revenge destroyed the robot, They had gotten halfway back to beacon before Yang had nearly collapsed and the only reason she hadn't passed out flat on her face was Ruby who was waiting for the crash and caught her older sister, together the team had managed to get her home where she slept for almost 15 straight hours. Upon waking she had been the same energetic Yang they knew.

So when Blake woke without Yang she was instantly set on edge. She sat up in bed she scanned the room, no signs of Yang, not even her loud obnoxious off-key singing coming from the bathroom. Just as she was about to slip from her warm bed the door opened and Yang stepped in, fully dressed and balancing two steaming mugs in her hands and struggling to shut the door quietly.

"Yang?" She succeeded in closing the door with a soft click, and turned back to Blake with a bright grin.

"Morning Kitten. Here this is for you." Yang settled carefully on the edge of the bed and handing Blake one of the mugs. Cautiously bringing the mug up the Onyx haired huntress took a whiff, her eyes widening as she smelled chamomile tea, her favorite, especially in the morning.

"You made me tea?"

"Yeah, it's just tea, no need to stare at me like I suddenly sprouted a second head." Yang teased. She smiled and pulled her legs up, sitting cross legged on their shared bed. She took a sip from her own mug, a contented smile crossing her face. Blake was still staring in disbelief at the mug in her hands. While Yang was always a good girlfriend, attentive and gentle, she was never this… dotting.

"Yang, what's going on?" She asked, setting her mug down.

"Nothing's going on kitten. I just woke up early and wanted to do something nice for you. I mean you do nice things for me all the time and I just thought…"

"Yang," Blake interrupted gently. "Weiss is more likely to go skinny dipping than you waking up early. What's going on?" Yang blushed at having been caught.

"I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to do something nice for you. I just… I..." Yang blushed harder and rubbed the back of her neck and shrugged. Blake rolled her eyes and leant forward, kissing her softly.

"I appreciate the tea. Thank you Yang." Yang beamed and across the room Ruby's bed shook slightly before she dropped sleepily to the floor, almost falling and landing face first. Blake was expecting Yang to laugh and make some joke at her sister's expanse but instead was surprised when Yang took her free hand and gave it a squeeze. Startled Blake turned back to Yang who simply smiled, gave another squeeze and sipped from her mug.

This was going to be an interesting day.

**~X~**

"You're left handed?" Blake asked, disbelief clear in her voice. Yang blushed and shrugged.

"Sort of. When I was twelve I was playing with Ruby on the playground. She wanted to play on the monkey bars and asked me to make sure she didn't fall. Of course like the extraordinary older sister I am." Yang paused to give a flourish and Blake rolled her eyes. "I agreed. So while she's up there she decides that skipping three is a good idea. It was too far for her shorter reach and she missed. She slipped and as promised I caught her. Which is great except I broke my wrist catching her. She felt bad because I couldn't draw her stories or color with her so she taught me how to use my left. I'm sure you've noticed by now she's a regular lefty."

Blake thought back and when she thought about it became obvious that Ruby was indeed a lefty. "So now you can use your left hand? For this?" Blake motioned to their joined hands. At some point during their study session Yang had grabbed Blake's hand and Blake was about to chastise her saying Yang needed to pass this test before realize Yang _was _still taking notes, she had just switched hands. Yang looked proud of herself and nodded.

"I mean its _Handy_ being ambidextrous, I can hold your hand and study." Blake groaned at the pun but still smiled, appreciating the gesture. Not just the hand holding (Yang knew after being deprived of affection and contact in general that she was starved for affection and simple casual touches which she was more than glad to give) but that Yang had agreed to study with her, and had done so quietly for close to two hours now.

Blake's suspicions were still peaked but the attention and thoughtfulness was so nice she wasn't too concerned with the why. Smiling she leaned over and kissed Yang on the cheek before picking her pencil back up and delving back into her notes. Yang grinned, gave her hand a squeeze then copied her.

**~X~**

Blake was surprised by Yang's thoughtfulness for the third time that day. She was on her bed reading and she may or may not have been shivering, before Yang took notice and crawled onto their bed, pulled Blake into her lap and ignited her aura the slightest bit, just enough to warm the slightly smaller girl in her arms. Taking the book with minimal protest she held it loosely in her hands and asked Blake where she had been on the page.

"Why?"

"Aww c'mon kitten, just trust me?" Blake sighed but snuggled deeper into her girlfriends embrace.

"Third paragraph down, right page." Grinning Yang pressed a soft kiss to her temple, then began to read aloud in a soft voice. Blake sat mesmerized. The way Yang read was making it hard to consider ever reading alone again. Her voice was soft and gentle and formed every word carefully, reverently. She changed the pitch of her voice for each different character. Blake lost herself so completely in Yang and the story she hadn't realized she'd dozed off until Yang was shifting just slightly, putting the book down without waking Blake, not knowing she was already awake. She rolled over in the arms holding her and nuzzled into the slightly startled brawler.

"I didn't wake you did I?"

"No I woke up on my own. You read beautifully, you know that?" Yang blushed and wouldn't meet her eyes, shrugging.

"No one's ever told me that before. Then again I've only read to Ruby before."

"Any reason for that or just because there's been no one else to read for?" Yang's blush deepened if that was at all possible. She tried stuttering out a response a few times before Blake took pity on her and pressed a kiss to her lips. Yang gladly took the distraction and kissed back. Strong arms wrapped more firmly around Blake, pulling her fully on top of the blonde. Gasping at the sensation of their full bodies pressed together, Yang kissed her again.

"It's because I stutter and trip over the words sometimes."

"What?" Blake breathed, confused at the seemingly random statement.

"I don't normally read aloud because I get insecure, afraid I'm going to trip over the words or say one wrong. Ruby's obviously never minded much but she's family." Yang admitted quietly, her lips still pressing the occasional kiss to her throat. "I know it's stupid, I don't have problems reading or anything but you make me nervous. I get nervous around you because I want to be perfect for you because you don't deserve anything less than perfect." Blake was silent, words couldn't even begin to convey what she wanted to say.

So she kissed Yang hard, pouring everything she couldn't even begin to say into their kiss. She swallowed a moan and bit her bottom lip gently. Her lips parted in a gasp and Blake took the opportunity to slip her tongue inside. They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity before they broke apart. "Yang, you are perfect. Maybe not in the conventional sense but to me you are." She spoke honestly, letting the words come straight from her heart, not bothering to filter herself. She felt safe in the brawler's arms so why shouldn't she let the words flow unhindered for once? "I love you."

Yang's grin could power vale for a month. "I love you too." Blake still wanted to know what had caused the sudden change in her girlfriend but chose to ignore it and deal with it another day. For now she was more than content to let Yang press sporadic kisses all over her face and let herself drift off to sleep.

**~X~**

It was three days later in Vale that Blake finally understood what was going on and what had cause the change in Yang's behavior. The whole team was out in vale, spending their day shopping and just relaxing. Blake had expressed interest in a book store while Ruby had practically run squealing into the dust shop across the street, Weiss following her muttering dolt under her breath and telling Blake to keep her eye on her half. Yang had pouted insisting that she wasn't that bad until Blake reminded her that her and Ruby were what Weiss had taken to calling 'rowdy wolf puppies' and they were indeed two halves of a whole. The whole being two rowdy protective sister that loved their partners to no end. Yang had blushed while Blake smirked, taking her hand and pulling her into the bookstore.

Blake browsed while Yang sat cross legged on the sunny window sill waiting quietly for Blake. Blake picked out a book and was going up to the counter to pay before Yang gently caught her wrist and took it from her. "On me." She said softly and swaggered up to the counter paying for Blake's book. She returned shortly, pressing the now paid for book into her hands. Blake insisted that she could have paid for the book herself but Yang just smiled and shook her head insisting that she wanted to buy it for her. They exited the book store and strolled down the sidewalk, window shopping Yang occasionally pausing to make fun of the poses the mannequins were in.

As the day wore on Yang noticed Blake reaching upwards and going to rub her ears and trying to pass the action off as fixing her hair. Yang sighed and gently took Blake by the elbow and pulled her into an alley way. "Babe, C'mere you've been fidgeting for the past 15 minutes." Reaching upwards For the bow Blake instinctually flinched away. Yang stopped and let her hand drop, taking her hand instead.

"Blake, you need to take the bow off, just for a little bit okay? It's hurting you." Blake chewed her lip and grabbed her elbow. Her entire demeanour went from relaxed to shy and vulnerable in an instant.

"I can't Yang, you know that."

"Yes you can. It's an alley Blake, no one's going to see. You're fine." She hesitated but the pain was insistent and starting to grow. Slowly she lifted her hands and untied the bow. Yang beamed at her and gave her hand a squeeze. She leaned forward and kissed her sweetly.

"There doesn't that feel better?" Blake let a small smile slip and nodded. Wrapping her arms around her yang snuggled into the darker girls shoulder. Blake never got tired of the way Yang held her. It was all encompassing and strong. Blake loved how warm she was. She was enjoying being wrapped in Yang's arms before she heard some yowls and cat calls.

"Oh hey, check out that pussy!"

"Hey baby, are you an animal in bed too?"

"Oh girl, look at that booty!"

Blake very physically flinched into Yang, her hands clenching into her hair. Yang looked up at the three teenage boys at the alley way entrance. Blake ears were plastered to her skull. She was shaking and trembling. Yang had seen how Blake reacted to the treatment of Faunus, she took it stoically, and she ignored it. Her reaction to the abuse being thrown at her was completely uncharacteristic. Giving Blake a solid squeeze she kissed her cheek and let go, pulling away from Blake who was clinging to the muscular blonde.

"Hey! You got something you wanna say to my girlfriend? "

"Yeah, actually, does she bang good?"

Yang eyes were red and she stalked forward. Ember Cecila Slid forward and clicked, her gauntlets activated. Before the first guy could even blink punched him across the jaw. He flew across the street and landed in a dumpster. The other two froze and stared at her. She rounded on them and they started running. She bolted and catching up quickly she easily drop kicked the last one. She rolled back to her feet next to the wheezing and gasping greasy teenager. The last one kept running. Yang briefly entertained chasing after him but she turned back and ran back towards Blake. She found her curled up, her hands over her ears, rocking herself.

It was terrifying for Yang. Blake had once told her she used to have panic attacks. Yang had seen panic attacks before, and this was the worst she'd ever seen. Rushing to Blake she dropped to her hands and knees in front of her. She was trembling and whimpering.

"Blake, Blake, kitten listen to me. Its okay, they're gone. They've gone okay?" she didn't even acknowledge her. Chewing her lip Yang shuffled forwards and started rubbing her hands up and down her arms. "Blake love, listen its okay, I've got you. I know you're scared and I know it's hard. All you gotta do is listen to me. Okay?" She crawled forward and lifted Blake into her lap. Wrapping her arms around the trembling girl Yang rocked her and pressed soft kisses to her cheeks. This was new to her. This wasn't Ruby after she had a nightmare, this wasn't Ruby after she scrapped her knee. This was Blake, her girlfriend and her pulse was thundering and her breaths were ragged and choked. Rubbing her palms up and down her back. She could feel her pulse. "Blake, listen okay? Just listen to my voice okay? I'm Right here, come back to me. I love you. You just gotta listen to me okay?" She sat in the cold alley holding Blake for over an hour, eventually her breath slowed and her pulse slowed. Her grip on Yang never lessened.

"Yang." Her voice was weak and small, like a small child. "Yang."

"I'm right here Kitten. You feeling better?" She gave a small nod against her chest.

She was quiet for a few moments before she spoke up. "I was barely thirteen. I wasn't even a two days after my birthday and Adam sent me into vale to steal some food. I was on my way in and some guys caught me. They…" Her voice cracked and yang pressed a soothing kiss to her lips.

"shhh… shh… It's okay you don't have to tell me, don't force yourself."

She sniffled and cling tighter to the blonde. "Some guys pinned me against the wall. One said… one said... one asked me if I was an animal in bed and… and" Suddenly it made sense. The traumatizing memories had obviously triggered the worst panic attack Blake had ever had. Nuzzling into the Faunus Yang kissed her forehead.

"Blake, hey listen to me. It's okay, I'm right here, I won't let any one touch you. I've got you, and I'm never going anywhere. You're stuck with me for life." She chuckled weakly.

"They had me against the wall and they kept touching me. I kept trying to get away. I never did, when they were done touching me they just left me there. It took me forever to pick myself back up and get back to the camp. They never…. They just touched…" Hushing Blake, Yang kissed her gently. Cupping her cheek Yang focused only on Blake. Rubbing her thumb along her cheek she rocked her gently. She kept kissing her until the trembling had stopped and she slowly started to return the kisses.

"I'm okay." She mumbled. She sat up in Yang lap and the brawler wiped the lingering tears away. Pressing one last kiss to her cheek They stood and Yang pulled the silk bow from her pocket.

"Can I tie this for you?"

"Oh my god…" Blake covered her mouth and stared wide eyed at Yang.

"What? What's wrong?"

"That's why you've been so nice lately isn't it? Because I wouldn't let you touch my ears." Yang blushed and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Sort of. I… when you fell asleep I saw a scar, the one right near your eyebrow? It got me thinking, and I couldn't sleep because all I could think about was you as a little kid being tormented because of your ears and I just wanted to show you I love you and your ears and that I'm not going to hurt you. And I just wanted you to know that I'm here for you and I'm gonna spend the rest of my life proving to you that you don't have to wear the bow. And I'll beat the crap out of anyone who hurts you, I'll punch anyone who so much as looks at you wrong. Because I know I say it a lot, but I love you, I really really love you. I love the way your ears twitch when you're reading, I love how you light up when you're faced with a challenge, I love the way you blush when you grab my hand. I love all of you. "Blake stood silently, staring at Yang, who shifted uncomfortably.

"You…. You really feel like that? You… mean it?"

"Of course I do!" Before she could blink Blake had flung herself into her arms and clung to her.

"I love you too." She sobbed. Yang held her and smoothed her hands up and down her back. "Yang?"

"Yeah babe?" She was silent for a few moment before she nuzzled closer.

"my mum used stroke the edges and rub the base of my ears. I uhm… really like when you do that."

Yang grinned and dipped down to kiss Blake. "Okay Love. Are you sure?" She nodded against her chest and slowly Yang lifted her hand and combed her fingers through dark tresses and slowly gave an experimental rub at the base of her ear. Rubbing gently Blake leaned into her. A purr started building in her chest and it rumbled out. It gradually it grew louder until it was a full, throaty hearty purr. Yang rubbed the edges between her fingers and her purr increased if possible.

Pulling away Yang slowly retracted her hands and Blake blushed a dark red and wouldn't meet Yangs eyes. Taking her hand Blake squeezed it and pressed a sweet kiss to her lips. "So you went through all that trouble just to let me touch my ears?"

Yang shrugged, "well, yeah, but I also did it because I wanted to show you how much I love you and stuff. I mean you're like, really pretty and..." Blake shut her up with a kiss.

"I love you too." Yang grinned and squeezed back.

"wanna go find the other two and get back to the dorm? I'll read to you and we can snuggle and I'll only rub your ears and stuff when you let me." Blake smiled and nodded. Yang lead them out of the alley way.

"Yang? You… can touch my ears whenever you want. Just… not all the time?"

"Of course kitten." They both smiled and it was only when they found Weiss and Ruby and Weiss's eyes bugged out of her head did they realize that Blake's ears were still uncovered.

"Blake! Your ears!"

Yang grabbed the bow out of her pocket and turned Blake towards herself. Looping the silk around her velvety ears she tied it loosely. Pressing a kiss between her ears she whispered softly "I know you're not ready, but when you are, so are my fists." She grinned and Blake smiled, twining their fingers she pressed a kiss to the blonde's cheek.

"Thanks Yang." She smiled and the four of them headed back to beacon. Yang upheld her promise and read to Blake, snuggling her and mouthing at her ears because it made Blake make happy noises.

It was the happiest either of them could remember being. Blake was happy she had finally found someone she could trust with her whole self with. Yang was happy Blake trusted her enough to let herself be who she really was.


End file.
